The Philippines has joined all 27 European Union member states and 32 other countries in backing a global pledge to uphold international maritime law and oppose unlawful fees, tolls, and other restrictions on ships passing through straits
The signatories reaffirm the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as the legal framework governing activities in the oceans and seas
The pledge warns that restrictions on maritime routes could disrupt international trade, energy flows, supply chains and food security
The Philippines has joined all 27 European Union (EU) member states and 32 other countries in backing a global pledge to uphold international maritime law and oppose unlawful fees, tolls, and other restrictions on ships passing through straits used for international navigation.
The pledge, announced by EU High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy Kaja Kallas on October 12, seeks to protect freedom of navigation and preserve the existing legal framework governing international shipping.
In a statement published on October 13, the EU Delegation to the Philippines emphasized the importance of keeping international waterways open and governed by established maritime law.
“Straits used for international navigation are not only regional waterways but global lifelines,” the statement said. “Their security and safety depend on respect for international law, as reflected in UNCLOS, on restraint by all parties, and on sustained multilateral cooperation.”
The pledge reaffirms the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal framework governing activities in the world’s oceans and seas.
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It warns that disruptions to maritime routes, particularly strategically important waterways, can have far-reaching consequences for international trade, energy flows, supply chains and food security.
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“Introducing restrictions, conditions, discriminatory measures or other obstacles to lawful passage through straits used for international navigation would set a dangerous precedent for global strategic waterways,” the pledge stated.
It added that no state should impose discriminatory limits on the passage of ships through such waterways in a manner inconsistent with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS.
The signatories committed to three key actions:
- strengthening multilateral cooperation
- rejecting coercion and unilateral action
- opposing measures that impede lawful navigation.
Under the first commitment, the countries pledged to work with international and regional institutions responsible for maritime governance, safety and security, particularly the International Maritime Organization.
They also expressed support for defensive and non-escalatory multilateral initiatives aimed at preserving freedom of navigation.
The second commitment rejects coercive or unilateral actions that seek to undermine or circumvent the international order based on UNCLOS and the existing legal framework governing international navigation.
The third commitment opposes measures that could hamper lawful passage through international straits, including unlawful fees and tolls, discriminatory restrictions, prior authorization requirements and other conditions.
Such measures, the pledge said, could undermine the existing legal framework governing passage under international law of the sea.
The signatories are the current 27 EU members, Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cook Islands, Fiji, Gabon, Honduras, Iceland, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Palau, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkmenistan, the United Kingdom, and Yemen.
